Euthanasia has become an issue of increasing attention because of Dr. Jack Kevorkian's assisted suicides. Because of an increasing number of assisted suicides in Michigan, Gov. Engler signed an anti-assisted suicide law in September of 1998 that made doctor-assisted suicides a felony. This law places anyone assisting in a suicide to prison sentence of up to five years and/or fined up to $10,000 (Michigan Governor). By signing this, Gov. Engler has put a great deal of stress onto some patients who wish to take their lives this way but now have no way of doing it.

With the passing of this law many people thought that m

"I have a man on my census in his early 40s, left an aphasic triplegic by a motorcycle accident when he was 19. For nearly a quarter of a century, while most of us were working, raising children, reading, and otherwise going about our lives, he's been vegetating. His biographical life ended with the crash. He can only articulate - only make sounds to convey that he's hungry or wet. If he were to become acutely ill, I would prefer not to try saving him. I'd want to let pneumonia end it for him" (Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints, 92).

Williams, Rob. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: For Pain Elimination or A Right?" Yahoo.com Available Online. http://www.euthanasia.com/williams4.html 19 Oct. 1999

If the person is not able to make this decision there should be a few options, a living will, the family's choice, and the doctor's choice. A living will should be allowed to control the outcome if the person is unable to. If there is no living will the family, consulting with a qualified physician, should be allowed to decide for the patient. The one situation that is most controversial is a patient with no family or no family member qualified to make the decision. Some think the doctor should be able to make the decision for the patient.

"AMA: Anti-Euthanasia, Pro-Pain Control." Yahoo.com. Available Online. http://www.ohiolife.org/euth/amagomez.htm 19 Oct. 1999

ost of the population would be against the right-to-die, not so. In a survey that I conducted on the campus of Marshall University on Oct. 22, 1999, 80% of the students that I interviewed think sometimes there are circumstances when a patient should be allowed to die, compared to only 15% think doctors and nurses should always do everything possible to save a person's life. It also showed that 80% of these students approve of state laws that allow medical care for the terminally ill to be removed or withheld, if the patient "wishes," whereas only 13% disapproved of the laws. Also 70% think the family should be allowed to make the decision about treatment on behalf of the patient if they are unable to. 70% think it is justified at least sometimes for a person to kill his or her spouse, if he or she is suffering terrible pain caused by a terminal illness. Even suicide is starting to be accepted. About half of those with living parents think their mothers and fathers would want medical treatment stopped if they were suffering a great deal of pain in a terminal disease or if they became totally dependant on a family member (Survey on Euthanasia). There are some people in this society that feel as if this really isn't a problem, but more of a solution. If someone wants to end their own life, then who are we to stop them. With the continuous coverage of Dr. Kevorkian the views of people will continue to change. Euthanasia will continue to become more of an issue.

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Approximate Word count = 2339
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)